


214

by VinnRockbell



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternative unvierse, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Boys In Love, Boys Kissing, Boys' Love, Character Death, Denial of Feelings, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Feelings, Feelings Realization, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Major Illness, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 14:42:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29437722
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VinnRockbell/pseuds/VinnRockbell
Summary: Tsukishima was born with a disease, a disease that lets him know how many beats he has left. Despite his condition, Kei continues playing volleyball, it is not until he meets Kuroo and the rest of the 3th gym that he starts to enjoy the sport as well.Both MB’s are in love, but Tsukki only runs away. The brunette fights a lot because Kei is pushing him away. Tetsurou knows of his condition at that time the two of them start dating,Tsukishima only has a few months to live.
Relationships: Kuroo Tetsurou/Tsukishima Kei
Kudos: 31





	214

**Author's Note:**

> Again on  Twitter I did a raffle, the winner asked me for this fic. I hope everyone enjoys it!
> 
> **If you are sensitive character deaths please do not go further.**

Small memories pile up in his head: the first time his mother told him about his illness, the fight they had because he wanted to play volveball like his brother Akiteru. A small sigh came from between the blonde's lips. He discovered his face which was covered by his right forearm.

Kei knows why he's having these memories and he's pathetic about it. He checked his mobile, that was the first day he would enter high school and he knew it would be the last. 

Tsukishima has been putting up a shield for years, it is very rare to approach him, the blonde simply does not want anyone to cry during his departure, that's why only his family and his childhood friend, Yamaguchi, know it. While he rejoined another sigh came from his lips, after looking at his feet he decided to get up and go to the shower, he had to follow his routine just a little more.

When he finished everything, he took his backpack and said goodbye to his mother and went to the corner where he waited for Yamaguchi. The freckled came raising his voice, once more time he was silenced by Tsukishima and as always Tadashi apologized.

It was Yamaguchi who occupied the space, Tsukishima only listened him. It was like that until they reached Karasuno. The high school they would go to from there on, the freckled noticed that his friend's face darkened a bit more.

‘‘Tsukki?’’  
Tadashi tried to get his attention.

Tsukishima just looked at him and sighed once more. The freckled ran his arm around Kei’s back, caressing it hoping it would comfort him.

‘‘Tadashi, I may not be able to complete this year…’’  
Tsukki muttered.

Yamaguchi's eyes widened, it was strange that his friend called him by name, but the news alarmed him even more. Tadashi wanted to take his friend's arms and yell at him what he was doing in Karasuno, that he should have looked for something calmer, but he knew why he was there, Kei wanted to play on the volleyball team. Now the one who sighed was Yamaguchi.

‘’Don't worry, here I am, supporting you’’  
The small smile that he gave to the blonde served to calm him.

The first days passed. Tsukishima and Yamaguchi presented the papers to enter the club's, The capitan told them about a 3 vs 3 match that would take place on Saturday. When they finished, on the outskirts of the athletic field were their enemies. The king of the court Kageyama Tobio and another boy that they did not know, soon they knew his name, Hinata Shoyo. That little guy jumped more than Tsukki's height.

***

After the game they entered officially into the team. The current Karasuno was based on the attacks of the rare pair first formed by Kageyama and Hinata although they also relied on the blonde's height. As they were now they had come a long way, but realized once in golden week that they could not continue like this.

The coach that Professor Takeda had found stayed with them after the golden week. Little by little Ukai studied the profiles of the players, seeing how the blonde reached the approved he was worried about because if at that point they had already lost, what they should do? But soon the idea to change Tsukishima for others changed and it was thanks to their connections with the Nekoma high school.

When the Karasuno players arrived at Saitama it was early hour and the blonde had to be pushed off the bus. Soon they joined training, basically they are going to rotating matches. Lnce again Kei could feel a pair of eyes on him, the same eyes of the person who approached him in golden week. Tsukishima just rolled his eyes and ignored him, Kuroo could feel a slight windy air.

"How frosty…”  
He mentioned while he was stroking his shoulders.

“I hope you haven't caught a cold”  
He heard the whisper of what his friend Kenma was saying.

“It's not a cold, it's love!”  
His childhood friend made fun of him, which made Tetsurou blush.

Tsukki, who was avoiding working harder, not only because of his health if not for his feelings towards volleyball, was caught by Kuroo and Bokuto. He didn't care a little bit about his condition when the brunette touched the correct buttons to draw him to them.

The blonde began to face alone against the Fukurodani couple soon Bokuto presented his concerns of being able to break the arms of the fellow. That made Kei excuse himself but also Kuroo joined to the party. Everythings is working well but Kuroo opened his big mouth and intervened, he saw potential in the blonde but he did not expect that touching the correct buttons would go wrong this time.

The next morning the captain apologized to the Tsikki’s superiors, while Akaashi approached the blonde. The Fukurodani setter could read what was happening, now he just had to make sure they ended up together.

That afternoon Tsukishima got a reprimand from his childhood friend. Kei knew that he couldn't keep running but that he was beyond when he was just going to leave all this behind soon. Tadashi took him by the collar of his shirt and shook him, the blonde was surprised by that but then he gave him a smile. His way of thinking was getting better than his, but he needed more answers, so he went to the gym where Nekoma and Fukurodani superiors were.

Kuroo, Bokuto and Akaashi were surprised to see Tsukishima there. He looked worried, he shared his problems with them, at first the captains joked a bit about whether it was a club or not but by the time they relaxed, Fukurodani ace pointed to Kei.

‘'Everything will change when your time comes!'’  
Tsukki was surprised and both captains took the opportunity to take him to the court to practice once more.

They stayed until late at night playing. The four boys were out of energy but the blond was undoubtedly the worst looking. Bokuto scoffed, but Keijii could see something was wrong so he simply led Kei out of the gym leaving the other two boys picking up.

Koutarou was flustered as Tsukishima was with his boyfriend and Kuroo patted his back, making him okay again. Those changes in Bokuto are really surprising.

As they were about to finish scrubbing, Fukurodani managers arrived announcing that the cafeteria would be closing soon. The captain of this proposed to Kuroo that he be the one to look for the boys while he finished. The brunette nodded and left the gym looking for Akaashi and Tsukki who were sitting on the slope. Step by step Kuroo could hear more clearly their conversation.

''You should stop running, Kei''  
Akaashi commented.

“I'm not running away, I'm playing”  
Tsukishima reproach.

“This is not about volleyball, this is about you and Kuroo-san”  
The blonde looked surprised at the setter.

“Oh, that’s... that's hard to explain, just, I don't want him getting damaged”  
Kei hugged his knees.

“If you don't try, you don't know”  
Akaashi leaned closer to him.

“I know it!”  
The setter raised his eyebrow.

“My time is numbered akaashi-san, I won't get beyond spring, that's why, that's why I know it won't turn out well”  
The setter's eyes like Kuroo's widened in surprise upon hearing that.

The brunette clenched his fist and finished a couple of steps to face the boys and smiled.

"We must go to dinner or they'll close."  
Akaashi and Tsukishima looked at each other to nod and stand up.

As they walked in silence, Kuroo made the decision that he wouldn't leave the camp without getting Kei's number, he couldn't waste time, he didn't want to. 

After that the training sessions continued, even Hinata joined them. Workouts in the 3rth gym became more intense than before. Between normal workouts and overtime they reached the last day, the smell of grilled meat and vegetables spread among the youth.

Kuroo had filled his plate with vegetables and used it as an excuse to approach the blonde, next to him were Bokuto and Sawamura who also brought food for the blonde who was in a corner with Yamaguchi and Kenma.

Tsukishima paled when he saw so much food in front of him and denied but the older ones would not accept that. There was a moment when he and the brunette were alone, Kuroo swallowed. 

_ It was his moment.   
_ He thought to himself and took enough energy to speak.

“Tsukki, will you give me your number?”  
He ended up getting stuck, which made him blush.

Tsukishima raised an eyebrow and looked at him.

“How many times did I tell you not to call me ...?”  
The blonde did not finish his sentence to sigh

“Okay, give me your mobile”  
He said.

When Kuroo pulled out a flip phone, Kei launted at him, while typing his contact and handing the phone back to him.

"Don't send to much emails"  
The blonde warned, the brunette nodded smiling for having achieved his goal.

The silence formed between them, it was not uncomfortable, it was pleasant but Kuroo had to go as he saw Bokuto take too much meat. Tsukishima was amused to see him lose his composure for a moment.

Soon the smell faded and the crows were the first to leave, as they had the longest journey to make. All teams said goodbye and Tsukki and Kuroo exchanged glances for the last time. The blonde blushed, something that went noticed by his friend, who was asking about it the whole time. Kei did not want to talk too much about it and decided to put his headphones, he could hear how Yamaguchi complained.

***

Kuroo remembers Tsukki's warning while hesitating between sending that email or not. It wasn't the brunette who pressed the intro to send it, it was his friend Kenma. The brunette got quite nervous, time passed and he did not receive any response, his gaze turned gloomy but everything changed when the announcement of a new incoming message sounded.

While messages were exchanged, he realized that the blonde was being quite dry, to which he concluded that he was still running away, which made Tetsurou sigh. Even when they exchanged messages for Christmas and New Years. Now they only had the nationals and the brunette knew very well that this was his last chance.

***

Both teams had seen how the school blocks were distributed and if they advanced two more games they would find themselves in the orange court. Who had it more complicated were Karasuno, they would face one of the favorite teams of the tournament, The Inarizaki high school.

The first round was satisfactory for both of them, but the second was getting complicated for them. The first to go to the next block was Nekoma high school. The opposing team had been targeting kenma, what they did not have in count was that the blond with black roots did not like to lose. Thanks to their efforts they were able to go to the court where the match between Karasuno and Inarizaki was stll going on. The desire in the red team grew in their breasts: Karasuno can not lose.

Atsumu could tell tat this was the moment, the moment to use that weapon that he had stolen from the opposing team, but it was that who stopped him causing the game to end. Karasuno had won, they were stepping into the next round.

The line-up had been decided by both teams, Kuroo and Tsukki starting at the front. The brunette caught Kei’s attention by approaching the net.

"Whatever the result, let's go out for a drink at the end"  
He suggested.

The blonde raised his eyebrow, in his memories was the conversation he had had with Akaashi. Maybe if he accept his suggestion Kuroo would realize how boring he was and leave him.

"Got it!"  
With Kei's answer, the brunette smiled at him.

The battle was taking place between the schools, the tension and the desire to continue raising the ball were noticeable even in the stands. The noise of the ball falling in the ground deafened the gym for a few seconds, until the commentators said that the winner was the Karasuno high school. The fury ran among the boys. In the middle of that Kuroo approached the net again.

“Tsukki, are you having fun now?”  
He sought to disturb the contrary.

“Well, once every blue moon, it's fun”  
The blonde answered, which made him laugh.

After that the Nekoma team withdrew, thanking their stands for their support during the games. Now they would be part of the nationals from another point of view. As they lounged in the stands and watched the matches, Kenma reproached Kuroo for helping Tsukishima, the brunette could only laugh. By the end of the day Karasuno's team had also lost. 

Kuroo waited with his mobile for Tsukki who finally appeared.

"Let's have something delicious!"  
Nekoma captain proposed and the blonde nodded.

On the way they agreed that they would go to a cafeteria since the MB of the Karasuno team wanted some sweets. Kuroo quickly looked into his phone for one nearby. After walking a few streets, they arrived at a quite cozy cafeteria

They were attended and sat down, for now, the conversation was kept empty, which was beginning to annoy the older one. Kuroo sighed and caught Tsukki’s attention, who was looking with desire to the cake he was about to eat.

“Kei...”  
When he hears his name he raised his face, Tsukki seemed surprised.

“I know what are you doing stop that, please”  
That astonished the blond even more.

**_Well, if you look into my eyes_ **

**_Then you should know_ **

**_That there is nothing here to doubt_ **

**_Nothing to fear_ **

**_And you can lay your questions down_ **

**_'Cause if you'll hold me_ **

**_We can fade into the night_ **

Tsukishima could see in the brightness of the other's eyes, that everything would work out somehow, maybe if he weren't so cowardly. Small tears began to flow from his eyes and fall down his cheeks, he quickly raised his glasses to clean himself with his thin fingers.

“Why me? Do you know that you could choose anyone else? Someone with more …”  
He couldn't finish his puncture because he felt Kuroo's hands caress on his palms.

“I know it, Kei but I would never choose anyone else”  
That made the blonde break a little more.

After feeling Kuroo's attention for a few more minutes, he felt pathetic, so with his cheeks puffed up in the most adorable pout Tsukki began to eat the delicious piece of shortcake he had ordered. When they finished, the older one was the one who paid for the order of both and they left the cafeteria joined by their little fingers.

On their side they began to speak little by little, their steps took them to the elder's apartment, who currently lived alone. They left their things in the hall and sat in the living room. Kuroo lit the kotatsu and set out a tray of tangerines in case they got hungry. That moment only belonged to them.

**_I'll be by your side_ **

**_Take my hand_ **

**_And gently close your eyes_ **

**_So you could understand_ **

**_That there's no greater love tonight_ **

**_Than what I've for you_ **

The warmth of the moment united them in a small and shy kiss, once they wanted to realize it, the blonde had already received different calls to find out where he was. His team demanded him to go back, which was understandable. They shared another kiss as a promise to meet again.

**_Well, if you feel the same way for me_ **

**_Then let go_ **

**_We can journey to a garden no one knows_ **

**_Life is short, my darling_ **

**_Tell me that you love me_ **

Living so far apart, seeing each other continually was complicated but there was always an excuse to call each other in the middle of the night. There are times when those calls are still in progress while they sleep.

They could tell, they were in a good time, so much so that even Tsukishima had forgotten that he had a clock that marked his hours.

***

Finally the brunette had gotten a break and they had finally agreed to meet that day, February 14th. Kuroo would go to Sendai to spend the afternoon. Tsukishima for his part woke up feeling more exhausted than normal and that alarmed him, he checked his mobile which fell to the ground. Luckily it did not break, but who did it was Kei, who had notoriously changed thanks to being with Kuroo. He no longer ran away, he fully enjoyed volleyball since 'it wasn't just a club', it was something that really filled him up and made him happy.

When Tadashi met him in the corner, he could see that something was happening. He had to help the blonde and especially on the slope until he arrived at school. The freckled was about to ask him if something bad had happened when he received the blond's mobile. 

Yamaguchi opened his eyes.

“This can't be happening now…”  
He muttered to himself.

“Tadashi, I need to ask you a favor”  
The freckled nodded, ready to do whatever his friend asked.

It had only been a few hours but Yamaguchi remembered Kei's instructions.

"Please don't let him see me in that horrible state"  
Tadashi sighed.

Yamaguchi wrote to Kuroo as Kei asking him to go to the gym, but in reality the blonde was not there, he was spending his last moments in his home under the basketball court where he had spent so much time with his brother Akiteru.

When the brunette found out about that, he did not hesitate to run. He ran following the instructions given by Tadashi who was between tears.

Finally Kuroo arrived at that house. The door was open, he met there with ‘Akiteru-nii. He assumen that by the little description he reminds from Yamaguchi. The brunette was about to touch his shoulders when a female voice called him out.

**_The world could die_ **

**_And everything may lie_ **

**_Still you shan't cry_ **

**_'Cause time may pass_ **

**_And everything won't last_ **

**_But I'll be by your side_ **

**_Forever by your side_ **

**_So you won't cry_ **

The brunette read that in the note that Kei's mother gave him. Kuroo took a few more steps inside the house, and could see through the window how Tsukishima rested calmly. Twtsurou sat next to him and took his hands, which were starting to lose heat. The Nekoma captain rested his head on the other’s shoulder, being able to hear his heartbeat diminishing.

“Thank you Tetsurou....”  
Kei muttered and Kuroo just nodded.

“You made me happy this month, even made me forget my illness...”  
The brunette caressed his palm.

“You don't need to say anything else Kei, just rest”  
The blonde nodded and closed his eyes.

In silence Kuroo enjoyed the last moments with his partner, when everything stopped, he wanted to cry, curse the world for taking away what he loved the most but the note that Tsukki had left was right. Kei would never leave him, he would always love him. The brunette smiled and simply placed one last kiss on his lips.

Tetsurou kept his promise, he did not cry at that moment, even when Kei was buried, everyone admired the strength he was having. Even these days Kuroo remembers that February 14th. Tetsurou does not forget to take a cake to Tsukki's grave, which he offers to him and then he eats. At times like those he can still feel the other's body against him and that fills him with courage to continue a little longer.


End file.
